In late May, the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project passed another key milestone as the second tier of the inner containment shell was successfully completed at the reactor building of Unit 2. Meanwhile, Rosatom announced the winners of an environmental and social initiatives competition in Egypt, backing seven promising projects. These developments highlight the progress in bilateral cooperation between Russia and Egypt—not just in constructing a strategic facility but also in fostering sustainable social practices in the region.
The concrete pouring for the second tier of the inner containment shell (ICS) took 24 hours, with four concrete distribution booms and approximately 65 workers involved. Over 1,000 cubic meters of concrete was laid for the reactor building.
“The work was completed ahead of schedule thanks to close coordination between Egyptian and Russian teams, professionalism of the on-site workers, and implementation of the best practices from Rosatom’s production system. We have passed a new milestone: the second tier now stands at +20.150 meters, with the next target being the third tier at +29.150 meters by year’s end,” said Alexey Kononenko, Vice President of AtomStroyExport and Director of El Dabaa Construction Project.
The inner containment shell is a cylinder-shaped structure housing the nuclear reactor and primary circuit equipment. Its second tier consists of 12 petal-shaped segments, each 12 meters long and 14 meters high, weighing between 60 and 90 tonnes, all manufactured locally at the Egyptian construction site.
“The El Dabaa NPP project is progressing steadily and confidently according to approved schedules, reflecting precise planning and efficient execution at every stage,” said Dr. Sherif Helmy Mahmoud, Board Chairman at Egypt’s Nuclear Power Plants Authority. He emphasized that this progress was “not just an engineering achievement but a testament to willpower, planning, and teamwork, and a fundamental step toward a sustainable energy-diversified future.”
Rosatom is committed to raising global awareness about nuclear energy. In late May, winners were announced for the eighth annual Atoms Empowering Africa video contest, aimed at inspiring young people in Africa to explore the potentials of nuclear technology. This year’s contestants created videos on one of three themes: Honor of the Past, Inspiration of the Present, and Dreams of the Future. Their task was to present nuclear technology’s contributions to global progress. Thirteen winners, including five from Egypt, will travel to Russia to visit landmark sites related to the nuclear industry.
Rosatom upholds sustainable development principles by supporting environmental initiatives in its regions of operation. In late May, results were announced for a competition of environmental and social initiatives in Egypt. Organized in association with the Primakov Center for International Cooperation, the competition is aimed to bolster social and environmental efforts, strengthen ties with Egyptian non-governmental organizations, and promote grassroots leadership. Seven winning projects from leading environmental and youth organizations will receive funding, along with expertise and support from Rosatom and competition partners to scale the impact of the projects.
“This competition is not just about funding local initiatives—it is about building expertise in social project design, promoting Russian best practices in volunteerism, eco-awareness, and support of vulnerable communities, and fostering lasting cultural ties among global change makers,” said Olga Shkabardnya, Director General of Rosatom’s Energy of Development Foundation.
Also in late May, members of the El Dabaa project team were honored at Rosatom’s prestigious Person of the Year awards, often called the Nuclear Oscar. Sergey Sivak, a sixth-grade rebar worker, won an award in the Builder category; Andrey Yurin, a lead specialist at AtomEnergoProekt, took third place in the Survey Engineer category; and Natalya Kipurova, Deputy Director for Economics and Finance at AtomStroyExport, received a special Sustaining Growth Ambitions Abroad team award.
Photo by: ASE JSC, Rosatom International Network
